2023 Northern and Central California Food News and Journalism [SF Bay Area, Northern California, Central California, Northern Nevada]

Awwww, so sorry to read about the Golden Peacock’s closing. Many, many memorable dinners and parties there. If I’m correct, weren’t the Golden Peacock and Silver Dragon sister restaurants and next door to each other? It was long ago and far away…

Carolyn Tillie is a very good friend of mine. I’m looking forward to seeing the exhibition.

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Freelancer Carolyn Jung in the Chronicle writes about SF chefs practicing jiu-jitsu -

Carolyn Jung’s food blog -

http://www.foodgal.com

and Carolyn’s twitter -

https://mobile.twitter.com/CarolynJung

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Caleb in the Chronicle:

“But Schinner’s experience in the vegan business world is longstanding, predating Miyoko’s and the more recent fervor around plant-based foods. She began teaching vegan baking in the Bay Area in 1988 and sold her first cookbook, “The Now and Zen Epicure,” in 1991, operating a bakery of the same name in San Francisco and selling packaged goods like a vegan Cool Whip replacement called Hip Whip.”

Janelle Bitker in 2021. -

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Janelle Bitker of the Chronicle is looking for a new restaurant critic. Who do you think should get it?

DREAM JOB ALERT: I'm hiring for the @sfchronicle's next lead restaurant critic! Is it you? https://t.co/PBnEKV5h7M

— Janelle Bitker (@JanelleBitker) February 24, 2023

Who should it be offered to? Luke Tsai.

Will it be offered? Don’t know.

Should Luke take if offered? Would be tempting but an SF daily that’s losing lots of money could be quite a grind, as was SF Magazine. KQED has oodles of cash and it sounds like a comfortable gig. Bitker worked at the East Bay Express after Luke did.

I thought that Soleil was a mixed bag as penance for 32 years of Michael Bauer who was not familiar with many cuisines as I heard him admit on a radio program with Ronn Owens years ago.

Who do you think it should be?

Wed March 1 at 9am and 8pm on KQED FM radio 88.5

WED at 9 AM PT w/ @alexismadrigal:

We'll speak w/ @theluketsai, Reyna Maldonado & @thewoksoflife's Kaitlin Leung & Sarah Leung about preserving family recipes.

❓ What's a family recipe you wish you had in writing?https://t.co/74YlZbXXJ7

— KQED Forum (@KQEDForum) March 1, 2023

Masa Ramen Bistro is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–2:45 p.m. and 5–8:30 p.m., at 1923 University Ave. in Berkeley.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2023/pasta-best/

https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/a-year-after-closing-this-restaurant-is-feeding-more-people-than-ever-for-free/

https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/food/this-soda-brand-is-honoring-christianitys-holiest-day-with-peeps-flavored-cola/

California Artisan Cheese Festival March 24-26 2023 in Santa Rosa.

https://www.artisancheesefestival.com

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I had fun reading that article - I sent it to some friends and said, “You can tell this is great fried chicken - note you can see the CHICKEN, not just globs of over-fried super-thick batter!”

I don’t mind KFC (no, not the chain!) once in a while, but I am really tired of small overcooked chicken parts covered in way too much fried batter, even when you’re ordering it without a gloppy sweet sauce drenching it.

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That was a good read, very SF normal, or old school normal. The strip club, reluctant chef…and going there for the food? I’d like to try the fried chicken given the cult following…but $20 cover? That’s $40 bucks for a bucket of chicken but you do get to see strippers. Like don’t those dollar bills get greasy? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Agree about KFC. It can be good but too much sauce and no. It just gets weird.

It was the best secret lunch deal in soma. We called it Fried Chicken Fridays. They have an upstairs mezzanine so easy to just pay cover, make a plate, go upstairs to talk shop. Became a monthly trip with mixed gender work group.

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Alameda Restaurant Week. March 3-12. 2023.

Jeff Edalatpour in the East Bay Express on the Colombian restaurant, Parche, at 2295 Broadway in Uptown Oakland. open every night.

Vacant McDonald’s at Stanyan and Haight will become condos with a food hall on the ground floor.

Yemeni coffee house and bakery Delah expands from SoMa and Uptown Oakland to Berkeley.

Making Irish coffees at the Buena Vista for 47 years.

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My top three from days gone by…
•Buena Vista in San Francisco
• Brennans at the foot of University in Berkeley after dinner at Spenger’s
• McNally’s on College Avenue in Oakland A/C Transit from the U
when we didn’t want to/couldn’t drive.

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Momo Chang and other journalists discuss Oakland Culture on March 23 at the New Parkway at 474 24th St Oakland.

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Luke Tsai and several East Bay poets will be at a Kitchen Table event on Fri March 10 at 7 pm at 395 S Van Ness in S F. Food and drinks to be provided by Virgo Supper Club.

this friday we are featuring KQED's @theluketsai and East Bay poets @littlelomanto and Nazelah Jamison for Kitchen Table!!

Virgo Supper Club will be dishing up food so come thru 🍜 pic.twitter.com/ibmlAIiZ7o

— Paolo Bicchieri (@Paoloshmaolo) March 6, 2023

Google Photos

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A Bay Area Love Letter to Durian by Jennifer Wong in KQED Food. Even her cat loves durian.

Even the cat loves durian. (Courtesy of Jennifer Wong

Excerpt:

What I love about durian is the tactile feeling of pulling out a seed, the luscious, custardy texture and the complex flavor. Whenever I take a bite, the room goes quiet while my mouth analyzes whether the durian is sweet or bitter, smooth or stringy, fruity or nutty. My fellow durian enthusiasts and I discuss which pieces are our favorites and trade bites — after all, it’s nearly always a social event

Brunch is on Sunday March 19 from 12pm - 3 pm in Richmond CA. Tickets start at $48.

Vicki Liviakis of KRON TV in SF goes to Egypt to dine

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Rex Pickett’s upcoming Bay Area events

  • March 12 at Nicholson Ranch Winery. Tickets include a wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, an autographed copy of “Sideways” and a bottle of Nicholson Ranch Cactus Hill Pinot Noir. $125. More info
  • March 18 at Ram’s Gate Winery.
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